Darkstorm

Darkstorm is the working title for a high fantasy worldbuilding project currently being crafted by author Tom Brown. Work on the setting, and story, first began in 2009, and has proceeded gradually ever since. The entire project is dedicated to the memory of Tom's mother, Phyllis Brown, who passed away on 9 October 2020.

Overview
Darkstorm takes place on Opria, a distant continent of the greater world of Preax Ethor. The current year is 2995 of the Common Era (CE). Also commonly referred to as "the Continent", it encompasses 9.81 million square miles, and is a varied mix of plains, forests, valleys, hills, and mountains. There are some desert areas in the southenrmost regions, and some tundra and ice fields in the northernmost regions. The majority of the Continent is temperate and experiences all four seasons. As of current year, the estimated population is 39.4 million. The Empire controls 71% of the land area of the continent.

The Empire
The Cedorene Empire is an enlightened, absolute monarchy that rules over nearly three-quarters of all Opria. At its pinnacle is the House of Neador, which has reigned over the continent for over 900 years. The Emperor (or Empress) is an hereditary monarch who holds absolute authority over its affairs. The heir apparent of the Sovereign is the Prince (or Princess) Imperial. The power of the House of Neador is symbolized by the Sapphire Throne, a relic of the age of the Precursors, crafted by them and upon which their own Archons sat in rule over the land in antiquity. It is located within the Hall of Banners of the White Palace in the city of Leesoft, capital of the Empire and cultural and spiritual hub of human - and by its extension, Imperial - civilization.

Privy Council
The Privy Council is a circle of officials who both advise the Sovereign and administer Imperial affairs. These individuals are considered the Sovereign's most senior counselors. Each takes the directives of the Sovereign and formulates relevant policy within their area of responsibility and is understood to speak with the authority of their Imperial mistress, requiring the obedience of their subordinates. These officers include -


 * The First Minister, who manages the bureaucracy and is the Crown's principal adviser.
 * The Minister of Protocol, who coordinates Imperial ambassadors to other lands, manages the business of the Imperial Court, and arranges hospitality for visiting dignitaries.
 * The Minister of War, who handles appointments, promotions and demotions of military officers, maintenance of military installations and supply, and the courier system. Their two immediate subordinates are the Lord High Admiral, who is over the Imperial Navy, and the Marshal of the Armies, who is over the Imperial Army.
 * The Minister of Revenue, who is responsible for tax collections, management of government finances, and the decennial census.
 * The Minister of Justice, who oversees the Imperial courts, magistrates, prisons and asylums.
 * The Minister of Agriculture, who oversees and the gathering of resources (food and raw materials) from the countryside.
 * The Minister of Works, who oversees Imperial construction projects, manufacturing government equipment, maintenance of roads and canals, and the standardisation of weights and measures.

Local Government
Imperial territory is divided into 31 provinces, which are administered directly by a noble who holds the title of governor. This official answers directly to the Sovereign via the Chancellery and the Secretary Imperial. Individual municipalities (villages, towns, and cities) are led by a mayor and council of burgesses, who are elected by the local populace. They, in turn, give regular reports to the governor on important matters and likewise communicate any needs or concerns they may have.

Courts
The judicial system of the Empire consists of two types of officers - magistrates and commissioners of the peace. They exercise both civil and criminal jurisdiction, hearing cases and grievances and handing down judgment in accordance with Imperial law. These officers answer to the Sovereign via the Minister of Justice. Magistrates hear the most serious cases in courts known as the assizes. Larger municipalities have magistrates and an assize court permanently assigned to them, while smaller municipalities (towns and villages) are serviced by magistrates who move around on a rotating schedule and visit these communities on specific days of the year.

Minor cases offences in all municipalities are dealt with summarily by commissioners of the peace in petty sessions, with every city, town or village having at least one. Punishment within the Empire ranges from monetary fines for minor offences to imprisonment for more serious ones and even death for the most heinous acts.

Cities
Leesoft, Portsgrave, Eastgate, Basinford, Winvale, Millpost, Highcross, Roseminster, Stillwick, Ormindy Do, Bellucente

Provinces
Aclesh, Aglar, Dacla, Drevanna, Strole, Eswana, Achor, Efristan, Oplaea, Gistrium, Jalesh, Patral, Seswea, Tagrana, Thei Chea, Worlmarch, Aebunem, Zelia, Prolum, Ravaria, Sipis, Eslerene, Ostinaweth, Haimore, Valadaria, Qaldobyt, Apria, Obla, Oplaria, Pleicia, Opria, Ste Cria

Social Hierarchy

 * Imperial Family
 * Emperor and Empress or Empress and Prince Consort
 * Prince Imperial or Princess Imperial and their spouse
 * Siblings of the Sovereign, and their spouses
 * Children of the Sovereign, and their spouses
 * Grandchildren of the Sovereign, and their spouses
 * Nobility
 * Dukes and duchesses
 * Earls and countesses
 * Barons and baronesses
 * Clergy
 * Curate, prelates, lectors
 * Gentlemen/Gentlewomen
 * Knights and dames
 * Craftsmen/Tradesmen
 * Merchants and skilled workers
 * Commoners

Living

 * Juliora, Empress
 * played by Helen Mirren
 * Hillan, Prince of Beverstone
 * played by Josh Dallas
 * older brother of Rhodan
 * Rhodan, Prince of Waydon
 * played by Tom Hopper
 * younger brother of Hillan
 * Polbier Levri, Lord Chamberlain
 * played by
 * Kethris Halded, Lord Steward
 * played by
 * Lenseph Demose, Earl Winvale, First Minister of the Empire
 * played by Charles Dance
 * Rhalad Stuvzumro, Earl Gatterglen, Minister of Protocol
 * played by
 * Orilana Thel-Zohef, Baroness Blackstone, Minister of Revenue
 * played by
 * Eller Rosewarne, Baron Threadmore, Minister of Justice
 * played by
 * Damveda Totrelmi, Countess Stillwick, Minister of War
 * played by
 * Stemeth Cannei, Baron Bumpf, Minister of Agriculture
 * played by TBD
 * TBD, Baron Bumpf, Minister of Works
 * played by TBD
 * Dame Jespara Telmavi, Lord High Admiral
 * played by
 * Sir Raldec Hithern, Marshal of the Armies
 * played by
 * Sir Thechem Baldrizek, Knight of the Scarlet Banner
 * played by Eddie Guinn
 * Hee Mirthbasher
 * played by TBD
 * Dercien Rodel, Knight of the Silver Circle, Principal Secretary to the Empress
 * played by Alex Lord
 * TBD
 * played by TBD
 * Dame Iliene Dreilo, Director of the Bureau of Statistics
 * played by Imelda Staunton

Historical

 * Sarovia Neador, Founder of the Empire, first Empress
 * played by Tilda Swinton
 * Orngild Luros-Neador, husband of Sarovia
 * played by Tobias Menzies

Circle Celestial

 * type - polytheistic
 * location(s) - Empire-wide
 * god(s) - TBD
 * ranks - lector, prelate, curate

Commonly known as the Celestial Chancel, it is the most important religious order in all of Opria. At its heart are the Twelve, also known as the Circle Celestial. Their power shaped and sustains the universe, which they brought order to. They are transcendent, completely outside of and beyond the world and beyond the comprehension of mortals. They have "no beginning and no end, existed before the void and the silence, before the primordial chaos, dwelling in incomparable light in the halls of Aesenium, which no being can approach." They seldom involve themselves directly in the affairs of the mortal world. Serving them are a circle of angelic beings known as the TBD.

The Chancel teaches mortals to live a just and honourable life, demonstrate kindness to the less fortunate, respect the land and creatures in it, and avoid vice and wickedness. Those who do so are granted eternal rest after death, and taken into the paradise of the Aesenium, the realm where the Twelve dwell. Those whose lives have been filled with cruelty, corruption, falsehood or malice, those who have abused the less fortunate, and those who have given their lives over to depravity are condemned to eternal misery in the Eaphunara. This cold, grim place exists distant from the Gods, who no longer acknowledge those who dwell there, and where eternal punishment befits the deeds of each mortal's life. The faith reminds its adherents that all living things eventually die, and that ultimately every mortal soul will face divine judgment.

Numerous common implements are found across the continent that adherents use as part of their traditions, rituals, and daily spiritual practices. These include a short loop of prayer beads, aromatic votive candles of amber and red wax, icon statuettes representative of the Twelve, and prayer shrines found in homes and temples. The votive candles used are always amber or red, made of beeswax mixed with paraffin. The amber candles are infused with sandalwood oil, and the red candles with allspice oil. Prayer beads can be made of a variety of materials, including glass, amethyst, rose quartz stone, crystal, black onyx, lavender glass or pearl. Faithful will recite various prayers, asking blessings on the person, their family, their community, and others. It is common for a believer to loop the beads around their wrist like a bracelet, unwinding them when they wish to pray.

Clergy of the Chancel are known as prelates. They seek training and education from one of the eleven clerical orders which operate across the continent, with the ultimate goal of attaining ordination. Not everyone who seeks ordination achieves it, as the curriculum is extensive, demanding, and requires considerable mental acuity. Training is a combination of regular prayer, meditation, observation and practice of ritual, and the reading of the sacred texts. These are required and expected of all who aspire to join the clergy. Prelates are recognized by their brown robes. The religion is inculcated in the rites and teachings of the TBD, which has its seat in the Standon Gardens district of Leesoft, the capital of the Empire. The leader of the Chancel is a priest known as the Curate, who is assisted in their leadership by the Prelate Assembly, a body composed of some of the most senior prelates, who collectively decide important issues and choose a new Curate upon the passing of the incumbent.

The Gods have spoken. All blessings on the new Curate! The three keys to enlightenment are charity, humility, and faith. The Gods have seen your coming, traveler. It was not curiosity, but fate, that has led you here. Walk blessed! May your road always be even. May you walk with the Gods.

Golden Path

 * type - polytheistic
 * location(s) - Celestial Isles
 * god(s) - Lords of Enlightenment (three)
 * ranks - priest, high priest

The Golden Path is a faith that memorialises the ancestors of the people, while focusing on honouring the guidance and protections of the Lords of Enlightenment, a group of divine beings whose energies are intimately interwoven with the energies of the universe itself, creating the mutually beneficial relationship considered symbolic of the natural cycle of life and death. Every follower of the Path is exhorted to pursue a life that embraces thoughtfulness, compassion, and patience, and to live in a way that is considerate of the effect each person's choices has on those around them.

Sacred Flame

 * type - monotheistic
 * location(s) - Western Shazodran
 * god(s) - Thundering One
 * ranks - priest

The majority of the Fiuli of Western Shazodran worship a deity known as the Thundering One, a divine entity who is said to have shaped the lands of the continent through sheer force of will, “accompanied by the great thunders of creation itself”. While it is believed the Thundering One very rarely directly intervenes in mortal affairs, they are said to see and know all, and their favour (or lack thereof) determines the ultimate fate of their followers. The religion is described as militant, and has a tendency to react very poorly towards emissaries of other faiths.

Blessed Accord

 * type - polytheistic
 * location(s) - Eastern Shazodran (Nilra)
 * god(s) - Blessed Intercessors
 * ranks - almoner, high almoner

Within Eastern Shazodran, the Nilra worship a circle of deities known as the Blessed Intercessors. They intercede regularly for their people to the Master of the Heavens, who the Nilra believe is so high above mortals that they are unworthy to address him directly. The Intercessors protect and shepherd Nilra society, blessing it with prosperity and peace when the tenets of the faith are observed, and punishing them with famine and dangers when they do not observe the religious teachings. The merchants of Nilra society pray and give alms regularly to them, especially, as commerce is a cornerstone of their civilisation.

Enta Ivasaar

 * type - polytheistic
 * location(s) - Ethredore (elves)
 * god(s) - Divine Court
 * ranks - priest, high priest

Enta Ivasaar - also known as "the Way of the Ancestors" - is centered around the remembrance and worship of their ancestors. Every family honours and remembers their own predecessors, while all maintain special reverence for the respected philosophers, military leaders, and healers among their society, among others. The religion teaches that the Ancestors, watching over them from the afterlife, protect their society and their people, offering subtle guidance in the form of various signs or portents, as well as by acting on the conscience of the believer. Simultaneously, the Ancestors are believed to intercede on their behalf to the Divine Court, as the small pantheon of nameless elven deities are known.

Followers begin and end each day with a meditation known as Avirinza, which is fifteen minutes of silent communion with the Ancestors. The holiest elven holiday is the Remembrance Festival, which occurs at the end of midsummer every year. On its last day, known as All Spirits Day, the high priest at the Temple of the Sacred Rites in Ormindy Do burns incense and reads the names of the honoured dead from the Scroll of Memory.

Gholorz Garan'du

 * type - polytheistic
 * location(s) - Ethredore (orcs)
 * god(s) - The Gholorz - Sazotz (death), Uthos (fortune), Khaorr (war)
 * ranks - n/a

Gholorz Garan’du - also known as “House of the Gods” - is centered around the reverence of a trinity of gods, also known as the Gholorz, who represent death (Sazotz), fortune (Uthos), and war (Khaorr). It is believed by orcs that these three deities are in a constant struggle for supremacy over orcish society, and that the prayers and offerings of individual orcs to them sustain this struggle, which symbolizes the struggle of life and the three parts of it considered most important to every orc - battle against one's foes, prosperity and fortune as a result of successful effort, and inevitably death, which comes for every orc.

The religion maintains no priests or temples, as adherence to the faith is the duty of every individual orc. It likewise has no formal texts, as all beliefs and practises are passed on via oral tradition. The closest thing to clergy within the faith are the lorekeepers, elder orcs whose purpose in society is to maintain the knowledge of their beliefs and pass it on to younger orcs who seek to likewise preserve the faith.

Magic
Magick is a term that refers to the mystical abilities given to those who can naturally sense the arcane energies of the world and manipulate said energies for a variety of purposes. These energies, when channeled in specific ways, are wielded to a wide array of purposes.

Practitioners
Those capable of wielding Magick - known as "having the Gift" - are born and cannot be "made". The arts of practicing Magick are also known as spellcraft. The Gift of magick is one that only the Divine can bestow upon a person. How they determine who is born with this talent is unknown, and simply because a child is born to parents who both wield magick is no guarantee they will likewise be so talented. On average, one in one thousand mortal children is born with the Gift. The only exception to this is orcs - one in ten thousand is born with arcane talent.

Wielders of Magick are known as arcanists or incanters. Other titles and honorifics exist for accomplished arcanists. Self-taught arcanists are referred to as hedge casters, a term of derision among proper arcanists. In modern times, Imperial law requires that all arcanists receive their training from, and be members in good standing of, the Incantrium.

The Immutable Sanction - a ritual that would sever all connections between Opria and the Ambience, permanently removing all magical powers from the land.

Unbinding
At some point in their youth, a child with this natural talent will have their power physically manifest. Reports vary as to the manner in which this manifestation takes place - a burst of energy knocks every nearby loose object to the floor, or said loose objects start floating in midair suddenly, and so forth. This event is known as an "Unbinding" and signals that the child's powers have awakened. The unique energy signature this event creates is sensed by nearby arcanists who will locate and identify the child, that they may approach the family and discuss their prospective future.

Training
Newly inducted arcanists are known as apprentices, fresh to the magick traditions of the world and only just starting their arcane journey. They have been accepted for membership after experiencing their Unbinding and completing a series of initiatory trials. They will spend ten years in this rank, attending a range of classes and hands on lessons to learn their craft and hone their skills. Also, during this period, simultaneous with their various tests and challenges, they will also perform a range of tasks from assisting with cleaning and cooking to gathering herbs and alchemical ingredients, as part of being taught the importance of patience, discipline, and focus, traits anyone who would learn the arcane arts must possess.

Journeypersons are arcanists who complete their apprenticeship and pass the First Seal trials. Those of this rank make up the vast majority of arcanists. While they may not be as powerful as adept arcanists, they are nevertheless accomplished and competent arcanists, and are more than capable of handling a vast array of tasks and situations. Whenever arcanists are called upon to assist with a situation by the authorities or private organizations, these are the people most often sent.

Adepts are those journeypersons who have passed the demanding and dangerous Second Seal trials. These arcanists are highly accomplished and skilled and are powerful emissaries of the Incantrium and the arcane arts. Only 1 in 100 journeymen will ever attain this rank. Arcanists of this rank are sent to investigate and address the most critical - and potentially sensitive - situations. Likewise, they are the teachers and mentors of all younger, less experienced arcanists, and see to their training.

Ambience
The Ambience is the name by which the magical currents of Opria are known. These energies suffuse the mortal plane and allow the wielding of magick. Those who are able to sense and manipulate these energies have "the Gift". The energies of the Ambience present to those with the gift for spellcraft in different ways - some see unusual colors, some hear a soft humming, some see "ripples" in the air which no other can - but all draw upon it and its energies flow in response to their manipulations.

These natural flows manifest occasionally in the form of mana wells - points where the flows have burst to the surface and appear as shimmering bodies of bluish-white energy that behave as water would. Of these, the most famous is the Celestial Font, which is hidden within a maze of caverns underneath Capvering Hold, the headquarters of the Incantrium. The most infamous, by far, is the Howling Well, a shattered mana well located deep inside the ruins of the ancient elven city of Vrucciaven.

Source?
It comes from the ancient giants, who beat back the primordial chaos, and wove magic out of their own essence, sacrificing themselves to create a great matrices of power spanning creation, holding back chaos. This is the Weave, the underlying structure of reality that mages manipulate when they cast their spells.

Wild mages, servants of chaos, draw from the gaps between the threads of the Weave. Attempt to widen them. They have seen the primordial chaos, found it to be a state of constant change, beautiful and joyous, and resent the giants for forcing Law onto the world, because with Law came suffering, which is the price of individuality, something that could not exist in the Chaos, where thoughts and identity constantly shifted and melted into one another. Their powers disrupt true magic, but have understandably unreliable results.

Black Codex
An arcane tome that legends claim the Precursors themselves created, its pages supposedly list every word of power in existence. History is unclear on where the legends of the Codex first originated, though surviving documents from the Delthoridan Era have been found that make mentions of it. Arcanists throughout the ages have made various attempts to piece together clues as to whether or not it exists, and if so, where it is, but nobody has ever succeeded (that is known). Arcanists are split on whether or not such a book could even exist. A general consensus does say, however, that the use of such a book would be extremely dangerous for even the most experienced magicians, as having access to such a compendium of raw arcane power could easily drive anyone incurably insane.

Black Fleet
Believed to have been either a pirate fleet or raiders, this infamous force appeared in the aftermath of the collapse of Delthoridan. Its origins are unknown, though it always appeared from the western Great Sea and returned that way after its attacks. While no definitive description has ever been given of the crews manning the ships, the Fleet would mainly attack towns and villages along the Golden Coast or the Shimmering Coast. The Fleet's final appearance came with an attack on the city of Goldwater, in which many innocents died. As they were raiding the young city, they forced their way into a temple where they were confronted by a prelate who warned them, "Your wicked depravities will be bent to the service of those who you would wrong. You will find no peace, you will be denied the afterlife...the Gods will bind you to a service from which you shall find no respite, until your wrongs have been redeemed." After they had killed the priest and finished their plundering, they returned to their ships, but instead of continuing on their raids as was normal, they returned across the sea. Legend has it that an enchanted staff, said to have belonged to the prelate they killed, is capable of summoning the Fleet to the service of its wielder, but the whereabouts of the staff are unknown.

Howling Well
The infamous broken mana well located in the ruins of Vrucciaven, one of the few elven city ruins that survives to modern times. Historians believe the arcane accident which destroyed the well - and the city in the process - was the result of a dangerously powerful ritual being attempted by the house that ruled the city seeking an end to the civil war that went horribly wrong. Some say the destruction of the Well was the wrath of the Gods. Others say it was simply mortals attempting to harness too much power. Since its destruction, any magick done in the immediate area will "go wild" at random. Spells cast will backfire, or fizzle out, or end up having a completely different result. At various intervals, the energies still flowing from the Well will stir up an arcane storm that will blanket the area, and even drift into neighboring areas. These storms will cause mana poisoning to non-arcanists if they become overexposed, and can inhibit an arcanist in their ability to wield magic, as the storms can overwhelm their senses. Arcanists and ordinary folk alike are cautioned to stay away from the ruins.

Ionorath
Said to have been the greatest of the Precursor cities, its location has never been definitively identified. Legends claim it floated on the waters of the Great Sea, and was connected to the mainland by a network of magickal teleportation hubs. It is also said the city could sink beneath the waters if necessary. When the Precursors departed the world many thousands of years ago, it is believed they sent the city to the bottom of the Great Sea, and that it has sat somewhere within the Zomorah Abyssal ever since, its secrets hidden by the depths. Many claim the Dragon of the Deeps - which dwells in the Abyssal - is there solely to protect the city.

Vrucciaven
Once one of the oldest elven cities on Opria, the crumbling remains of this ancient, shattered city, hidden in the depths of the Blackwood, were once the capital of one of its most powerful houses. It was destroyed when the mana well concealed within its central temple - the Infinite Well, now known as the Howling Well - exploded violently as the result of a dangerous arcane ritual gone horribly wrong. The ruins are both haunted by the arcane reflections of many of those killed in the accident, and plagued by wild magicks. At present date, it is against Imperial law for anyone to enter the ruins without the appropriate writ to do so. A special force of soldiers and arcanists maintain watch over the ruins and keep trespassers out.

Storage
Descendants of Summer - Wayfarer's Lament - Voice of the Dawn - Black Codex

Palleaon - Khadgar - my old guildie?


 * The Secretary Imperial, who manages the bureaucracy and is the Crown's principal adviser.
 * The Lord Chamberlain, who manages the Imperial Household and Sovereign's daily schedule, screening those who seek an audience.
 * The Lord Steward, who coordinates Imperial ambassadors to other lands, manages the business of the Imperial Court, and arranges hospitality for visiting dignitaries.
 * The Lord Keeper of the Treasury, who is responsible for tax collections, management of government finances, and the decennial census.
 * The High Justiciar, who oversees the Imperial courts, magistrates, prisons and asylums. Also chairs the Gold Chamber court.
 * The Lord High Admiral, who is chief officer of the Imperial Navy.
 * The Marshal of the Armies, who is chief officer of the Imperial Army.


 * Ustrad - Swaisia - Uplon - Hoplia - Aprijan - Prei Ston - Bliol Sna - Smeo Dreit - Chuf Blary - Smod Flein - Swai Prington - Claom Plana - Shub Glary - Shoac Whon - Grae Spana - Pla Smil - Sper Grax - Tro Swurg - Flo Tyre - Cleo Chax - Plop Shar - Spa Grium - Splor Blea - Gler Shye - Whu Plaria - Droq Whela - Frao Brium - Smef Strua - Snoa Pral